Punjab Agriculture Department has estimated historic cotton production in the province due to favourable weather conditions, less pest attack and comprehensive extension services. Provincial Agriculture Department has started preparation for the next season by initiating cotton training programme, which would be completed by February 15, 2012. The training programme would focus on good farming practices and trained extension workers would assist farmers in preparing their fields for the next crop. Agriculture Department’s field force would ensure proper uprooting of cotton sticks from fields, their disposal and grazing by sheep and goats as per provisions of the Pest Ordinance, 1959. Ploughing up of un-ploughed cotton fields and turn all cotton fields exposed to sunlight. Punjab Agriculture Department has advised extension workers to ensure complete eradication of weeds through cultural, mechanical and chemical means. Pest scouting of all spring crops, especially sunflower, shall be conducted with use of chemical sprays through insect growth regulators.
White-flies will be targeted on alternative spring crops and weeds to avoid their further spread to upcoming cotton crop. Field workers will ensure proper adoption of sanitary measures in trees and shrubs around cotton fields and ornamental plant nurseries against whitefly and mealy bug. Remove or manage alternative host plants for CLCV, white-fly and mealy bug around prospective cotton fields.
They will ask farmers to start planning about the upcoming crop by earmarking the land for cotton, soil analysis, arrangement of good quality labelled seed through a reliable source, arrangement of machinery and credit. Avoid water stress and excessive nitrogen to the plants to spring crop and in case of severe attack of white-fly and mealy bug treat the plants with one of the recommended pesticides. Use of Chrysoperla cards as biological control agents at the rate of 80-90 cards per acre with 20-25 eggs in each card may be advocated. These cards are available at Biological Control Laboratories at Vehari, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Okara, Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh.
Speaking to Profit, Agriculture Department Director General (Extension) Dr Anjum Ali said that the unprecedented increase in cotton production had also raised the bar to challenge field functionaries to deliver to their best for the success of upcoming crop. He appreciated the untiring efforts of the field staff for the success of current cotton crop and asked them to deliver their best in the forthcoming season.
